Party Nominated / Partisan Offices

Under the California Constitution, political parties may formally nominate candidates for party-nominated/partisan offices at the Primary Election. A candidate so nominated will then represent that party as its official candidate for the office in question at the ensuing General Election and the ballot will reflect an official designation to that effect. The top vote-getter for each party at the Primary Election is entitled to participate in the General Election. Parties also elect officers of official party committees at a partisan primary.

No voter may vote the ballot of any political party at any Primary Election unless he or she has disclosed a preference for that party upon registering to vote or unless he or she has declined to disclose a party preference and the political party, by party rule duly noticed to the Secretary of State, authorizes a person who has declined to disclose a party preference to vote the ballot of that political party.